Leeds United star Jack Harrison has revealed that his mother was the driving force behind his exit from the Manchester United academy when he was 14.
Harrison has been on loan at Leeds since last season from Manchester City and has been one of the key players in Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
The winger was taken to Manchester City from New York City FC in January 2018 and he also had an unfruitful spell at Middlesbrough before joining Leeds in the summer of that year.
However, Harrison was on the books at Manchester United until he was 14 and he admits that it was his mother who made sure that he left the Red Devils to pursue his career in the United States.
He conceded that his mother wanted a more secure pathway for him than trying to make it at Manchester United by coming through their academy.
“There are so many who go through the system”, Harrison told The Athletic.
“Ultimately, maybe only one or two out of each age group make it to the first team if that.
“She was starting to wonder what happens to the rest of the kids.
"She could see pictures of them on the walls but you didn’t ever hear anything about any of them.
“She began thinking about a more secure pathway for me.”
Harrison insisted that he does not regret leaving Manchester United as it allowed him to gain a lot more than he lost by not being there.
“I still keep in touch with some of the lads and on one end of the spectrum you’ve got Scott McTominay who’s done brilliantly.
“At the other end, I know people who don’t even play anymore.
"I think I gained a lot more from going this way.”
Leeds have an option to buy Harrison from Manchester City at the end of his loan spell.
